Alarm goes off at 7am and after one desired snooze hit I get up and start moving with my day. It begins with brushing my teeth, then whistling in the shower, making breakfast, running to catch the 21 bus towards downtown, then looking at my planner making reminders of the numerous things that need to get done today.
The rest of the day usually doesn’t look very different besides the increasing pounding in my head—that’s when I know I need to slow down. It’s awesome to have a day full of activities and responsibilities; it makes us feel like we’re doing something with our lives. However, our bodies need time to slow down and relax and release tension. When we’re tense and stressed, we ‘feel’ like we are working harder to get many things done when in reality we’re not.
My signal when I’m getting stressed is the slowly increasing pounding in my head that evolves to a strong headache. So what I’ve decided to do is to make relaxation a part of my day. I ask myself, what better way to relax than to enjoy in my favorite hobby? I grew up playing soccer with family and friends. I see soccer more than just a game, it’s a place to let go and give it all you have. It’s time to get excited and yell: “Pass the ball!, Shoot!, Support!, Find space!, Pass the BALL!” Within seconds of running back and forth I find myself almost out of breathe. The best feeling is not just about scoring goals but doing your job, being able to say “you ain’t getting past me” and working hard to make it true.
By the end of it all, what high stress/worry/tension level I had before, all diminishes on the field. Now with my head better balanced on my shoulders I feel ready to continue with my day. However, when I don’t have time for soccer, a nice quiet time to meditate works beautifully to calm my mind and get me balanced again. I know that if have bazillion things to do in my day, I could take some time to relax and enjoy myself in a hobby or find serenity in a quiet moment to recover some energy and get back at being active.
-Jimmy Jara, Anxiety In Teens Contributor